The Intellectual Blindness Of A Sheep-Christian

Sheep Christian Ted

A sheep Christian is someone who accepts everything they've heard about what's in the Bible or that they've read in the Bible without question. Even if they themselves see contradictions in the Bible. They are afraid to accept or entertain them.

I asked a Sheep-Christian named, Ted, if eyewitnesses wrote the Gospels, He said yes. I said, "what if I told that if you, if you read the begining of the Gospel of Luke. Luke says, he wasn't an eyewitness of the events, he writes about". Ted said, “No! Eyewitnesses wrote the Gospels”. Handing him a Bible, I said “Ted read the beginning of Luke, and then tell me what you think”

Ted, took the Bible in hand and found the Gospel attributed to Luke and read, "Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were, eyewitnesses and servants, of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

I said “does that sound like Luke was an eyewitness.?" "Luke said his report was based on what was " handed down to us by those who from the first were, eyewitnesses"

Ted looked at me with a blank stare in his eyes. I said read it again. Ted did. He didn't say anything...then blurted-out ”I have to talk to my Pastor!”

I said, (laughing), “Why do you have to talk to your pastor?” “Didn’t you just read that for yourself?” He said “Yes”. I said “ Read it again”. Ted read it again. Same blank came into his eyes, along with a look of great consternation.

I said “Does Luke say he was an eyewitness or not?” Ted said “I don’t know” “I have to talk to my Pastor!” After a few more times, of going around and around like that, I dropped the conversation

I Was Amazed

I was amazed, at the psychological numbness or dumbness of Ted, after he read the text that contradicted what he believed, and how he was unable to respond, or was too terrified to accept that Luke said he wasn't an eye witness of the events he wrote about..

Pastor Joe

About. a month later, we both happened to attend the same party..Ted, his wife and his pastor were there. Eventually, Ted came over to my table and sat down. We were just kind of chewing the fat and shooting the breeze.bWhen his wife walks by and says, “Did Ya have him talk to Pastor Joe?” Ted said “Not yet”. I, later realized, that a guy, I saw periodically glancing at me as he walked by the table, I seating at was, you guessed it, Pastor Joe.

I kind of snickered, to myself, and thought “they definitely discussed our conversation and want to sic Pastor Joe on me, to straighten my out (Hahahaha)!”

Ted said, “Why don’t you go talk to Pastor Joe?” I said, “Why would I want to go talk to Pastor Joe? “There’s nothing Pastor Joe can tell me that I don’t already know.” “Did you talk to pastor Joe?” I asked. Ted said, “Yes”. I said “What did he say?” Ted responded, enthusiastically, as if he was telling me something I didn’t know, and as if he had heard, it for the first time “ Luke wasn’t written by an eyewitness” Ted chimed.

“That’s what I told you!” I said. “So pastor Joe, just backed up what I told You!” The blank look came into Ted’s eyes again. Ted, just stared at me, as if I was an alien or speaking Greek.

I just said “Forget it”. And just let the subject drop.

This is how crazy some true believers (sheep Christians) can be.

They’ve been so, conditioned, to believe whatever they’ve been told, about the Bible, that when they read something that, contradicts, what they believe it says. It causes them, such consternation, they can’t accept it. They, won’t trust, or are afraid to trust, their own intelligence, but have absolute faith, in the judgement of the pastor.

This is the origin of the word pastor

(Pastor late 14c. (mid-13c. as a surname), "shepherd," also "spiritual guide, shepherd of souls," from O.Fr. pastor, pastur "herdsman, shepherd)

Now you know why they call the congregation sheep. The, Pastor, is a herdsman, a sheepherder. Now you see why, I called those who fit the bill, sheep Christians, because they blindly go where ever the pastor (sheepherder) leads them

Ted, certainly fulfilled the role of Sheep-Christian, wouldn't you agree?

Discussing Biblical Issues With Sheep Christians

When. I discuss biblical issues with Sheep-Christians. or if a Sheep-Christian reads one of my hubs.that contradicts their beliefs. They, throw as many Bible verses at me as they can, to try and shut me down or up. If that doesn’t work. They, gladly, and enthusiastically leave me all kinds of nasty comments. And who said that, Sheep-Christians, don’t turn the other cheek or love and respect, their fellow man, as the Jesus they say they're followers of, told them to do.

Comments

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Teresa Pelka 4 years agofrom Dublin, Ireland

@Eric,

I meant the heart was not (and is not, to me) collective. Would you have a group heart?

There are 'ways of saying things' idioms, collocations, proverbs, as well as cliches. 'Being of one mind' is one of such ways. I wouldn't have a group brain either, however ;)

Eric Dierker 4 years agofrom Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A.

I do not get it, how can the love which is the heart not be connected? I am speaking as someone teaching catechism but believing in Love as our joint space with others and God.

Teresa Pelka 4 years agofrom Dublin, Ireland

I was born in a Catholic country. Baptized, attending religion classes and the mass at least once a week, I developed doubt.

I thought, I was actually just born in this country, no one asked me if I wanted to be baptized - however you believe in a good god to condemn newborns just about a few drops of water.

I learned the prayers, I never thought them up - I reckoned. And I thought also about the singular and the plural.

A priest once asked the religion class group I attended (it was usual and prevalent to attend, again) to write essays on the heart. I wrote about the heart as not possibly collective. That was noticed.

Eric Dierker 4 years agofrom Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A.

Really good article Weasy, it is scary but all too common. I like to believe my congregation would know all about Cool Hand Luke the physician, who definitely was not one of the 13. And I certainly hope when I preach, several disagree with me, to some degree. And most of all I hope when they come to me with a question they do not understand, that my knowledge is transferred to them in Love, so they may understand as well as believe.

(keep in mind that physicians of that day were like alchemists or faith healers) Also keep in mind that the best description of a Pastor, is "Servant to the Flock". And lastly, be kind to Ted, he clearly needs your kindness.

galleryofgrace 4 years agofrom Virginia

I understand this completely. i have known many people who cleaned up their lives by following bible principles so there is a lot of truth in it.